High flow = sandstorm

[hbrochs]

My tank started as a mixed tank, and its slowly getting more and more sps.
So, as my return pumps were aging / not working as well, I replaced them with bigger return pump. Now I have an Eheim 1260 and 1262 splitting to four spin streams. This is giving me around 1400 gph for my 80 gallon long shallow tank.
I know this is on the high side, maybe I went a little overboard but the corals seem to like it. The problem is my sand bed is getting messed up and there are spots where it keeps blowing away down to the glass.

What do you all do? No sand? Lower the flow?

Thanks,

Howard

 

[scumbag_gli]

Barebottom FTW

 

[Icefire]

1400gph on a 80g on the high side?

I have 7000gph in a 24" 60g cube...

 

[Fiver]

I have a shallow tank and a shallow sand bed and am learning to live with a few bare spots here and there.

 

[vinhle00]

You could put more rocks and or corals in the area where the flow is causing the bare spot/sand storm.

 

[Art13]

I have a 90g with roughly a 50x turnover rate according to the neptune wav, so if i had to put a number on it i think thats 4500gph, i could turn it up higher for the sps, but i have a few lps that need a bit lower flow and they are at the most i can give them. I've accepted that sand won't be in a few places, particularly either side, but it's stronger on the right. What i did was just get some rubble rock and fill in where the sand would not stay.

 

[joshky]

I'm going to be adding some heavier sand, almost crushed coral, to fill in my bald spots in my 80g. It's really bad in the center front of the tank for me.

 

[Ratpack]

I keep all my flow pointed slightly towards the surface and that has helped a lot. Like you, I used to come home each day to bare spots and tall mounds. So far the sand moves some, but for the most part has stayed put.

 

[Tweaked]

The shallow reef is tough with sand and high flow.

 

[hbrochs]

Thanks for all the comments

Thanks for all the comments

Wow, I thought I had high flow, but I guess I'm just scratching the surface.

Heavier sand sounds like something to consider, "almost crushed coral"

Is there a brand anyone can point me to?

I could try replacing the spinstreams, but I kinda like the random flow it creates.

Thanks,

Howard

 

[joshky]

This is the sand I'm considering, hope it helps.

http://www.marinedepot.com/CaribSea...Reef_Aquariums-CaribSea-CS0901-FISSDS-vi.html